Raiders likely to keep Dennis Allen

RAIDERS (4-11) AT CHARGERS (6-9)

Vic Tafur

Updated 11:34 pm, Saturday, December 29, 2012

Photo: Bob Leverone, Associated Press

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Oakland Raiders' head coach Dennis Allen on the sidelines against the Carolina Panthers during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. The Panthers won 17-6. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone)

Oakland Raiders' head coach Dennis Allen on the sidelines against the Carolina Panthers during the second half of an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Dec. 23, 2012. The Panthers won 17-6. (AP

Out with the old, in with the old? The Raiders have locked in their 10th straight season without a winning record, but it looks as though they will try something new this offseason. After firing head coaches Tom Cable and Hue Jackson the past two years after 8-8 seasons, Oakland looks as though it will retain Dennis Allen.

"It would be huge to not have a new coach come in again," right tackle Khalif Barnes said. "You want some familiarity and solidarity going into training camp, and not have to learn something new all over again."

Allen, in his first year, has led the Raiders to a 4-11 record going into Sunday's season finale in San Diego. First-year general manager Reggie McKenzie said he was "pleased" with the job Allen has done the last time he talked to reporters a month ago and cited salary-cap issues and a lack of draft picks as major obstacles this season.

Late owner Al Davis had a short fuse and didn't get along with Cable. Jackson was let go when McKenzie came in at the start of the year.

Davis' son, Mark, the new boss, is trying to take a longer view than his father. He and McKenzie gave Allen a four-year deal, and while Davis is disappointed in the team's record, he is resisting pulling the plug.

Players thought they were going to turn the corner with Cable and then Jackson, and some see similarities between those two and Allen. All hope is not lost.

"All three were good leaders," Barnes said. "They were all the same that way, even though they had different personalities and a different way of doing things. Regardless of how the season went, they all handled it well."

Receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey said it's obvious that players are still playing hard for Allen, just as they were for Cable and Jackson at the end.

"Their styles were different, but all three wanted the same thing, for guys to compete, to give effort," Heyward-Bey said. "Each year ended with things going in the right direction, and the coaches were let go for whatever reasons.

"This year, we had some injuries that messed us up, especially in the return game and then Darren (McFadden) went down for a little bit. This team has talent. We just have to execute better on both sides of the ball."

Barnes said one of the reasons players have handled the coaching changes well and are positive about the future is the great chemistry on the team.

"I love everybody in the locker room, and we all get along great," Barnes said. "We haven't gotten the results we wanted on Sundays, but that's not from a lack of hard work."

The one improvement Allen can hang his visor on is in penalties. Oakland set a record for most penalties with 163 last year. This season the Raiders have only 99 and are on pace for 106.

"He's done a good job with the penalties, making sure we're focused on being disciplined," Heyward-Bey said. "He's kept us aware of what's going on game in and game out, preparing us for our opponents very well."

Heyward-Bey agrees that bringing back Allen would be a nice change of pace for the Raiders going into next season.

"It would be nice to have the same coach back for a second year," Heyward-Bey said. "I know Mark Davis is committed to winning, and he's going to make the right decision."

Allen is confident that there will be more wins next season.

"There's been a lot of change," he said. "When there is a lot of change, sometimes you don't get the results that you're looking for right away. But when you believe in something, and you stick to it and you know it's the right plan, it ends up working out."

The 6-9 Chargers, meanwhile, are not going to stick it out and are expected to fire general manager A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner after the season.

San Diego is set to finish with its worst record since going 4-12 in 2003.

"There's a lot of speculation that way, and I know people assume that," said Turner, wrapping up his sixth season in San Diego. "As I said to our team, probably four or five weeks ago, this is really an outstanding group of people, aside from what they are as football players.

"Obviously we're playing a divisional rival. You're playing the Raiders, so we're just getting everything we can out of this week, enjoy each other, then we'll see what happens."

Raiders at Chargers

1:25 p.m., Channel: 5 Channel: 13 Channel: 46 (105.3)

Spotlight on: Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor and cornerback Brandian Ross. Pryor, who may or may not be ready, is getting the first start of his NFL career as Oakland is throwing caution to the wind. Ross, a midseason pickup off the Packers' practice squad, is also making his first start after doing well at the "joker" position, a hybrid safety-corner who can blitz, play forward in the box or drop deep. Ross paid close attention to former Raider Charles Woodson when both were with the Packers, because Woodson also moved around a lot in the secondary. "I watched everything he did, from how he covered bigger guys and tight ends and guys who might have been quicker, and how he played safety," Ross said. "I just watched his every move and tried to learn as much as I can from him because he is a hybrid-type guy who can play multiple positions."

Big 3

-- The Raiders (4-11) have a league-low three rushing touchdowns, and their nine consecutive games without a rushing touchdown marks the longest single-season drought in team history. Oakland also had a nine-gamer that bridged 1995 and 1996. The Chargers (6-9) have gone 10 straight games without a rushing TD.

-- Fullback Marcel Reece, filling in for injured Darren McFadden, had 400 yards from scrimmage (225 rushing and 175 receiving on 62 touches) in three games from Nov. 11 to Nov. 25. The total was third in the NFL in that span behind Andre Johnson (496) and Calvin Johnson (490). Reece has seen his load reduced dramatically in four games since, with a total of 22 touches for 95 yards.

-- Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has 15 interceptions and 15 fumbles (seven lost) and has made bad decisions under pressure, so coach Norv Turner has asked him to get rid of the ball more. He has 42 throw-aways, according to Pro Football Focus. That's 12 more than any other passer this season (despite 117 fewer attempts than second-place Drew Brees).